


Shallow Breath

by anemonemist



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Sirens, mermaid au, merman au, merman wooyoung, merman yeosang, please read the notes for warnings please!!!!, siren au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:01:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24345421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anemonemist/pseuds/anemonemist
Summary: 'The first time San watched Wooyoung change, it had been breathtaking and tormenting at the same time.'A merman/siren au-Part 1 is San/WooyoungPart 2 is San/Yeosang
Relationships: Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Choi San/Kang Yeosang
Comments: 2
Kudos: 72





	1. San/Wooyoung

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the American TV show ‘Siren’. If you enjoy English series’ I recommend it to you, the portrayal of sirens is uncanny and completely draws you in. If you do attempt to watch it, be warned there’s sensitive stuff like gore and blood so check the warnings or something.
> 
> Onto the warnings in this fic. There's a light description of disfiguration and blood because it’s a transformation from human to merman. I have bolded the paragraphs where this happens so you can skip them. If there's any other parts in the fic that you think should be bolded too, please let me know ^_^
> 
> Happy reading

The first time San watched Wooyoung change, it had been breathtaking and tormenting at the same time. 

Wooyoung had never allowed him to be in the same place whenever he transformed. “It’ll be dangerous.” He had said, placing a gentle hand against San’s chest after San’s few attempts at trying to convince Wooyoung.

San couldn’t imagine anything that’d encompass ‘danger’ in changing from human to merman but how could he when he had never had the chance to see Wooyoung change. “It’ll be fine. Don’t worry.” He had tried to reassure him again.

Wooyoung wasn’t giving in though. “No...San.” It was in the way Wooyoung lowered his head, a most solemn manner, that had San taking a step back. Wooyoung held remorse in his light blue eyes when he looked up again. “I’m dangerous.”

Wooyoung often referred to his mer half as an animal, said that when he’s in the water, when he changed form, he was more animalistic and ferocious enough to tear any living organism into pieces. He didn’t want San anywhere near that.

So San had often taken a backseat in the living room after helping Wooyoung haul in buckets of seawater from the beach to fill the tub. He sat there with the television on as loud as his ears could handle while shrill screams pierced through the house. They sounded wounded and pitiful, almost like he was crying for help, and the anguish colouring those screams jabbed at San’s heart.

It was a good thing that their part of the town didn’t have houses lined up together side by side or they’d have neighbours knocking on their door every week.

Eventually, the screams had dwindled into well-contained shouts every couple of minutes, and the longer Wooyoung spent on land, the lesser he needed the water. That didn’t make San feel any better though.

It was five months since Wooyoung had been on land, five months of learning to be human and struggling to manage his instincts when he walked into their bedroom that night. He sidled in beside San’s warm body and for a short while they laid in silence, taking comfort in each other’s arms. It was hesitant and almost quiet when Wooyoung finally uttered the words. “Do you want to be with me when I change next week?”

It had taken San by surprise. He needed a moment to comprehend, to breathe. But there was no use in mulling it over when he had wanted it and wished for it as long as he could remember. He rolled over, bringing his hands up to cup Wooyoung’s cheeks. “Yes,” San whispered, watching intently as the corners of Wooyoung’s lips curled up. “I would love that Woo.”

~*~

Saturday mornings were the perfect time for them to carry in buckets of water from the beach. Everyone was either busy with their weekend vacations or were sleeping in to question why a pair of 20 odd-year-olds were going back and forth lugging seawater.

“All done.” San dusted his hands together after he set down the white bucket in the corner of the bathroom. “Think you can change out of your clothes now.”

“Thanks.” Wooyoung smiled at him. “Where will you stay? I don’t want you to be standing around uncomfortably.”

San held up his pointer finger at him and rushed into the kitchen to bring back a chair. Wooyoung grinned at the childish smile San gave him, the way kids did when they had uncovered a grand plan and expected praises. “That’s good.”

Wooyoung slowly stripped off his clothes as San busied himself, setting a towel on the shelf by the tub and moving their toiletries to a safer spot. He moved the chair near the bathtub, making sure to keep a 3-foot distance before taking a seat. He wasn’t sure how comfortable Wooyoung was with this so he was going to give him the space he needed.

“Have you grown better at it now?” He cautiously asked.

“Hmmm?”

“You said it was dangerous for me, that you could injure me without a second thought. Has it gotten better?” San looked over his shoulder to see the naked man fold his shirt on the top of the washing machine. He tried not to look down.

“I think so. I don’t know the degree of it but I’ve managed it so far.” At the worried look on San’s face, Wooyoung came over to place a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure now than I ever was before that I wouldn’t hurt you. I can’t imagine ever doing that to you.” He paused. “But if you don’t feel the same way or you’re uncomfortable, you can always stay outside Sannie.” San opened his mouth to reply but Wooyoung cut him off. “I won’t be offended or hurt because I understand that. I’m just...I’m giving you a choice now. And I won’t be sulking over whichever choice you make. Your comfort and safety matter the most to me.”

It was touching when Wooyoung must've worried himself to death about choosing to let San in and _he’s_ supposed to be the restless one but here he was putting his feelings aside to make sure San had a say too. San laid a hand on top of Wooyoung’s, squeezed it, and smiled. “Thanks, love.”

Wooyoung squeezed his hand back before walking over to the tub. He observed the bath area for a moment before stepping in, the water licking up to his waist. He hissed almost immediately and San made to stand up but Wooyoung was quick to gather himself.

When San deemed that Wooyoung was okay, he pushed his chair a little backwards and crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn’t sure what to expect. He had no idea what a merman’s transformation would look like. He had only ever seen Wooyoung in his true form, once, and it had been when they first met. Yet he was eager. He wished to witness the beauty of the merman he first saw and this time he gets to see it up close. San’s heart rate increased and whether it was from excitement or anxiety, he couldn’t tell.

It started with the tail which made sense since it was only the lower half of Wooyoung’s body that was submerged in seawater. 

Wooyoung’s hands gripped the edges of the tub instantly and his teeth clenched as the pain built up. **San sat up straight, eyes wide as he watched Wooyoung’s limbs begin to dissolve as if acid had been poured upon them and it was eating away at the flesh and bone. Tissue and bone flowed out in thin ropes of crimson ichor, leaving the legs looking disfigured. It seemed as if they were in a never-ending fight with themselves, struggling and twisting around each other to form one limb; a tail. It was gruesome to watch and must be painful for Wooyoung’s limbs visibly shuddered in the process.**

Wooyoung’s shout of agony brought San out of his stupor. He couldn’t _sit_ . He couldn’t just sit still and watch Wooyoung tear apart and be put together in such a horrific manner. He stood up, mind running too fast for him to catch up with but ready to reach out for Wooyoung. A single look from the other man through his turmoil made San halt. Wooyoung had reminded him to _never_ interrupt, _never_ try to help and San would be lying if he said he wasn’t afraid. A part of him was not ready to learn what would happen if he didn’t heed Wooyoung’s warnings. 

So he stood as close to Wooyoung as he could get, prepared to help him if he ever needed it. His chest twinged every time Wooyoung let out a pained cry. He could only watch as the merman’s chest heaved from both the pain and the effort. San could tell that he was trying very hard to keep his screams in by the way he was biting down on his lip but there was only so much he could bottle in when his body was ripping apart.

Even before his tail had time to fully form, Wooyoung let go of his tight grip on the bathtub and slid under, letting the water gurgle over his head. A tiny gasp escaped San’s lips out of surprise. But he was left fascinated by the way Wooyoung’s skin began to turn a bluish-green. The colour was dark beginning from his tail and turned a much lighter shade as it moved towards his face. Pelvic fins decorated the sides of his large, bulky tail, moving in the water like eels. His feet, having finally merged to form the ends of his tail with a sharp stinger right between the fins, broke through the water to hang out of the tub with a splash of water. 

**There was a sickly sound like the crack of dry wood and Wooyoung arched his back with an angry growl, moving out of the water enough for San to catch a series of short, thin bones shooting out through the flesh along the line of Wooyoung’s spine. They were fused via webbs to form a long dorsal fin just like the ones on his forearms in a shade of transparent powder blue. Webbs clung between his fingers and his nails grew longer until they were left as razor-sharp claws.**

When Wooyoung looked up at him, San took note of the scales that covered the entirety of his body, almost silvery from his chest upwards and reflecting off the bathroom lights. His gills, 3 slits, 15cm in length ran around diagonally on each side of his torso and his ears which were a version of an elf's ear but webbed, similar to his fins. But what completed the look were his eyes, a bright brown, almost honey-gold in the way the colours swam under the light. 

_Terrifying_. He was terrifying to look at but beautiful, dark hair floating around him like a halo of sorts. He looked like any other aquatic creature, a predator in the depths of the sea armed with such jarring features but his beauty shone, unrivaled. And that’s what caught San’s breath. 

Wooyoung hissed softly, never taking his eyes off San. He was slowly regaining the rhythm of his breath after the transformation.

“Are you okay?” San asked a little too quietly and Wooyoung gave a single nod. He parted his lips to smile, giving a glimpse of his Piranha like teeth. It was an awkward smile, lower lips caught oddly on the edges of his long teeth, almost like a child learning to smile for the first time but it was a sincere gesture nonetheless. 

When Wooyoung laid back against the tub, San took it as a signal for him to relax too. He held a hand out towards Wooyoung’s head, waiting for him to tell him it was safe but the man simply eyed the extended hand for a few seconds too long almost if he _too_ wasn’t certain.

Then he nodded and lowered his gaze.

San ran his fingers through Wooyoung’s wet, dark brown locks, cautiously at first. He tucked the strands away from across his face and stroked the back of his head and Wooyoung instinctively leaned into the touch. It calmed San’s nerves too.

“Thank you for trusting me.” He said. “I didn’t realise how painful this was.” Wooyoung raised his head just the slightest bit in an attempt to look at San. “Of course I imagined,” San continued, his eyes lifting to look at the wall with a sigh, “but seeing it...is horrifying.”

Wooyoung’s eyes softened and he placed the palm of his hand against his chest, then brought his hand out to form a circle with his thumb and forefinger. It never bothered San that Wooyoung couldn’t speak in mer form because body language existed and that’s what they often used when Wooyoung didn’t feel like speaking or couldn’t find the right words to express himself. San barely remembered much of what he had learned from Wooyoung but there were phrases few and far between that he remembered. Like this one, where Wooyoung meant to express that he was okay. 

San gave him a small smile. He must have sensed the calmness of San’s composure and the steady beat of his heart because Wooyoung relaxed further, letting out a loud sigh of ease. His tail moved back and forth in content from where it hung over the edge of the tub and San felt inclined to touch it. He wanted to touch all of it, to run his fingers across the expanse of Wooyoung’s body, to know how different he was from being human.

Moving closer, San got onto his knees so he could see Wooyoung eye to eye, hands coming to rest on the tub. The merman turned his head at the action only to find their faces mere inches apart. It was startling to see him up close, the bright white of his eyes and the inhuman touch in the gold of his irises. San swallowed when Wooyoung inched his face closer but Wooyoung’s eyes tracked the movement. His reflexes were fast. 

“Can--can I touch you?” The words were forced past his lips. “Not in a weird way or anything, just...I wanna know what it feels like.” The corner of Wooyoung’s lip quirked up at the way San had started rambling. “Is that okay?”

His brows drew in and San could easily read the hesitation in his features. But then he nodded and San let go of the breath he had been holding.

Wooyoung’s eyes watched his hands trail without blinking. San was no biologist but he wondered if mermen needed to blink in the water or if it was just for protection like sharks had or whether it was simply a trick to appear more human. 

He ran his fingers over Wooyoung’s forehead, down the bridge of his nose, swiped the bone of his cheeks, and let his thumb caress the skin of Wooyoung’s neck. His scales were smooth one way and rough the other, just like a fish and were thicker and rougher below his chest as the colours mixed strongly. 

His collarbones were a lot more prominent than they were when he was human and he had no such thing as nipples which surprised San the most. Wooyoung’s physique as a merman was much more muscular and well built, not that he was weaker looking as a human but somehow the curves of his arm muscles and the broadness of his chest seemed to be highlighted.

His tail was the strongest part of his body, the way it looked as if it could take out a couple of people in one swing. San felt the weight of the smooth fins in his hand and the twitch of the strong muscle when he stroked it. But it was a moment of impulse when he attempted to touch the stinger between Wooyoung’s tail fins, curious of how sharp the edge might be when it flinched away and an angry hiss sounded in San’s ears.

He moved back in shock to see Wooyoung bare his teeth at him, nostrils flared. “Sorry.” San immediately apologised with both hands up to show that he meant no harm. He didn’t think that was what Wooyoung was worried about. 

He took San’s hand in his and turned it around a few times, eyebrows furrowed as he looked for something. It took San a while to realise what he was doing. 

“I’m okay.” He reassured Wooyoung. “I didn’t touch it. See.” And he showed Wooyoung both of his hands, void of any cuts or blood. 

Wooyoung only let go when he was fully convinced that San was okay. He gently pressed a pointer finger at San’s chest but the sharp nail still dug lightly, then pointed to his tail and shook his head.

“Don’t touch the tail. Got it.” San repeated in words. “Is it a weapon in the water?” Wooyoung nodded. “Ah, that makes sense.”

Wooyoung seemed to enjoy long baths since he showed no signs of wanting to get out. He had his head laid on the back of the tub, his hand holding San’s in the water and his tail moved in the limited space, sploshing water in the process. San had to resort to sitting on the floor when his knees protested from having kneeled for so long. He placed his free arm on the side of the tub and rested his chin on it. His thumb ran soothing circles over the back of Wooyoung’s hand as he watched the merman. 

“I could watch you for the rest of my life,” San thought.

The fact that he gets to be a part of Wooyoung’s life, to know him and to be loved by him felt like a completely outrageous idea someone had conjured up. But here Wooyoung was, a being from a different world, magnificent and innocent in all of his ways. 

He had pulled San’s heart from the cave of his chest and taken care of it the moment he washed up on the shore that July night with a tail wound. He drugged San with the eagerness in his every action to learn everything human; when he sniffed around the pantry and went through San’s clothing with a look of wonder and that one time he threw up the apple San cut for him because it tasted like sand apparently, which they both agreed not to breathe a word of. 

A year ago San would’ve laughed in the face of anyone who’d told him that he’d fall in love with a merman. Yet here he was, ready to risk everything for Wooyoung.

“You’re beautiful.” He can’t help but whisper the words in the quiet of the bathroom. Wooyoung’s right ear twitched as he picked it up and then he was looking San’s way. He moved forward into San’s space and brought his hands out of the water to hold San’s face. His touch was warm and tender. San’s stomach fluttered but he couldn’t take his eyes off of Wooyoung. 

What if Wooyoung kissed him? Was it safe to kiss? What if Wooyoung’s teeth cut him up or something? The thought of warning him crossed San’s mind but he didn't utter a word.

It’s when Wooyoung pulled San’s face closer and rested their foreheads together that San’s shoulders loosened and a soft breath of air escaped his lips. He blinked twice trying to get rid of the film of tears that had begun to pool and responded, “I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!!!
> 
> Please don't forget to leave a kudos and a comment if you read it, even an emoji is fine if you don't really have anything to say. It's your comments that give me the energy to keep writing ^_^ come say hi to me on twitter @skellimone
> 
> (also ao3's new system apparently doesn't record hits and kudos of those who don't have an acc :( so if you are a reader without an ao3 acc, please leave a comment if you enjoyed my story)


	2. San/Yeosang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'The first time San watched Yeosang change, it had been breathtaking and tormenting at the same time.'
> 
> A merman/siren au
> 
> -
> 
> This was originally written as a SanSang fic and I decided to post that version too. Both chapter 1 and chapter 2 are the same story, just that the ship and a few features are different ^_^

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was inspired by the American TV show ‘Siren’. If you enjoy English series’ I recommend it to you, the portrayal of sirens is uncanny and completely draws you in. If you do attempt to watch it, be warned there’s sensitive stuff like gore and blood so check the warnings or something.
> 
> Onto the warnings in this fic. There's a light description of disfiguration and blood because it’s a transformation from human to merman. I have bolded the paragraphs where this happens so you can skip them. If there's any other parts in the fic that you think should be bolded too, please let me know ^_^
> 
> Happy reading

The first time San watched Yeosang change, it had been breathtaking and tormenting at the same time. 

Yeosang had never allowed him to be in the same place whenever he transformed. “It’ll be dangerous.” He had said, placing a gentle hand against San’s chest after San’s few attempts at trying to convince Yeosang.

San couldn’t imagine anything that’d encompass ‘danger’ in changing from human to merman but how could he when he had never had the chance to see Yeosang change. “It’ll be fine. Don’t worry.” He had tried to reassure him again.

Yeosang wasn’t giving in though. “No...San.” It was in the way Yeosang lowered his head, a most solemn manner, that had San taking a step back. Yeosang held remorse in his light blue eyes when he looked up again. “I’m dangerous.”

Yeosang often referred to his mer half as an animal, said that when he’s in the water, when he changed form, he was more animalistic and ferocious enough to tear any living organism into pieces. He didn’t want San anywhere near that.

So San had often taken a backseat in the living room after helping Yeosang haul in buckets of seawater from the beach to fill the tub. He sat there with the television on as loud as his ears could handle while shrill screams pierced through the house. They sounded wounded and pitiful, almost like he was crying for help, and the anguish colouring those screams jabbed at San’s heart.

It was a good thing that their part of the town didn’t have houses lined up together side by side or they’d have neighbours knocking on their door every week.

Eventually, the screams had dwindled into well-contained shouts every couple of minutes, and the longer Yeosang spent on land, the lesser he needed the water. That didn’t make San feel any better though.

It was five months since Yeosang had been on land, five months of learning to be human and struggling to manage his instincts when he walked into their bedroom that night. He sidled in beside San’s warm body and for a short while they laid in silence, taking comfort in each other’s arms. It was hesitant and almost quiet when Yeosang finally uttered the words. “Do you want to be with me when I change next week?”

It had taken San by surprise. He needed a moment to comprehend, to breathe. But there was no use in mulling it over when he had wanted it and wished for it as long as he could remember. He rolled over, bringing his hands up to cup Yeosang’s cheeks. “Yes,” San whispered, watching intently as the corners of Yeosang’s lips curled up. “I would love that Sangie.”

~*~

Saturday mornings were the perfect time for them to carry in buckets of water from the beach. Everyone was either busy with their weekend vacations or were sleeping in to question why a pair of 20 odd-year-olds were going back and forth lugging seawater.

“All done.” San dusted his hands together after he set down the white bucket in the corner of the bathroom. “Think you can change out of your clothes now.”

“Thanks.” Yeosang smiled at him. “Where will you stay? I don’t want you to be standing around uncomfortably.”

San held up his pointer finger at him and rushed into the kitchen to bring back a chair. Yeosang grinned at the childish smile San gave him, the way kids did when they had uncovered a grand plan and expected praises. “That’s good.”

Yeosang slowly stripped off his clothes as San busied himself, setting a towel on the shelf by the tub and moving their toiletries to a safer spot. He moved the chair near the bathtub, making sure to keep a 3-foot distance before taking a seat. He wasn’t sure how comfortable Yeosang was with this so he was going to give him the space he needed.

“Have you grown better at it now?” He cautiously asked.

“Hmmm?”

“You said it was dangerous for me, that you could injure me without a second thought. Has it gotten better?” San looked over his shoulder to see the naked man fold his shirt on the top of the washing machine. He tried not to look down.

“I think so. I don’t know the degree of it but I’ve managed it so far.” At the worried look on San’s face, Yeosang came over to place a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure now than I ever was before that I wouldn’t hurt you. I can’t imagine ever doing that to you.” He paused. “But if you don’t feel the same way or you’re uncomfortable, you can always stay outside Sannie.” San opened his mouth to reply but Yeosang cut him off. “I won’t be offended or hurt because I understand that. I’m just...I’m giving you a choice now. And I won’t be sulking over whichever choice you make. Your comfort and safety matter the most to me.”

It was touching when Yeosang must've worried himself to death about choosing to let San in and _he’s_ supposed to be the restless one but here he was putting his feelings aside to make sure San had a say too. San laid a hand on top of Yeosang’s, squeezed it, and smiled. “Thanks, love.”

Yeosang squeezed his hand back before walking over to the tub. He observed the bath area for a moment before stepping in, the water licking up to his waist. He hissed almost immediately and San made to stand up but Yeosang was quick to gather himself.

When San deemed that Yeosang was okay, he pushed his chair a little backwards and crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn’t sure what to expect. He had no idea what a merman’s transformation would look like. He had only ever seen Yeosang in his true form, once, and it had been when they first met. Yet he was eager. He wished to witness the beauty of the merman he first saw and this time he gets to see it up close. San’s heart rate increased and whether it was from excitement or anxiety, he couldn’t tell.

It started with the tail which made sense since it was only the lower half of Yeosang’s body that was submerged in seawater. 

Yeosang’s hands gripped the edges of the tub instantly and his teeth clenched as the pain built up. **San sat up straight, eyes wide as he watched Yeosang’s limbs begin to dissolve as if acid had been poured upon them and it was eating away at the flesh and bone. Tissue and bone flowed out in thin ropes of crimson ichor, leaving the legs looking disfigured. It seemed as if they were in a never-ending fight with themselves, struggling and twisting around each other to form one limb; a tail. It was gruesome to watch and must be painful for Yeosang’s limbs visibly shuddered in the process.**

Yeosang’s shout of agony brought San out of his stupor. He couldn’t _sit_ . He couldn’t just sit still and watch Yeosang tear apart and be put together in such a horrific manner. He stood up, mind running too fast for him to catch up with but ready to reach out for Yeosang. A single look from the other man through his turmoil made San halt. Yeosang had reminded him to _never_ interrupt, _never_ try to help and San would be lying if he said he wasn’t afraid. A part of him was not ready to learn what would happen if he didn’t heed Yeosang’s warnings. 

So he stood as close to Yeosang as he could get, prepared to help him if he ever needed it. His chest twinged every time Yeosang let out a pained cry. He could only watch as the merman’s chest heaved from both the pain and the effort. San could tell that he was trying very hard to keep his screams in by the way he was biting down on his lip but there was only so much he could bottle in when his body was ripping apart.

Even before his tail had time to fully form, Yeosang let go of his tight grip on the bathtub and slid under, letting the water gurgle over his head. A tiny gasp escaped San’s lips out of surprise. But he was left fascinated by the way Yeosang’s skin began to turn a bluish-green. The colour was dark beginning from his tail and turned a much lighter shade as it moved towards his face. Pelvic fins decorated the sides of his large, bulky tail, moving in the water like eels. His feet, having finally merged to form the ends of his tail with a sharp stinger right between the fins, broke through the water to hang out of the tub with a splash of water. 

**There was a sickly sound like the crack of dry wood and Yeosang arched his back with an angry growl, moving out of the water enough for San to catch a series of short, thin bones shooting out through the flesh along the line of Yeosang’s spine. They were fused via webbs to form a long dorsal fin just like the ones on his forearms in a shade of transparent powder blue. Webbs clung between his fingers and his nails grew longer until they were left as razor-sharp claws.**

When Yeosang looked up at him, San took note of the scales that covered the entirety of his body, almost silvery from his chest upwards and reflecting off the bathroom lights. His gills, 3 slits, 15cm in length ran around diagonally on each side of his torso and his ears which were a version of an elf's ear but webbed, similar to his fins. But what completed the look were his eyes, a bright brown, almost honey-gold in the way the colours swam under the light.

 _Terrifying_. He was terrifying to look at but beautiful, blonde hair floating around him like a halo of sorts. He looked like any other aquatic creature, a predator in the depths of the sea armed with such jarring features but his beauty shone, unrivaled. And that’s what caught San’s breath. 

Yeosang hissed softly, never taking his eyes off San. He was slowly regaining the rhythm of his breath after the transformation.

“Are you okay?” San asked a little too quietly and Yeosang gave a single nod. He parted his lips to smile, giving a glimpse of his Piranha like teeth. It was an awkward smile, lower lips caught oddly on the edges of his long teeth, almost like a child learning to smile for the first time but it was a sincere gesture nonetheless. 

When Yeosang laid back against the tub, San took it as a signal for him to relax too. He held a hand out towards Yeosang’s head, waiting for him to tell him it was safe but the man simply eyed the extended hand for a few seconds too long almost if he _too_ wasn’t certain.

Then he nodded and lowered his gaze.

San ran his fingers through Yeosang’s wet, blonde locks, cautiously at first. He tucked the strands away from across his face and stroked the back of his head and Yeosang instinctively leaned into the touch. It calmed San’s nerves too.

“Thank you for trusting me.” He said. “I didn’t realise how painful this was.” Yeosang raised his head just the slightest bit in an attempt to look at San. “Of course I imagined,” San continued, his eyes lifting to look at the wall with a sigh, “but seeing it...is horrifying.”

Yeosang’s eyes softened and he placed the palm of his hand against his chest, then brought his hand out to form a circle with his thumb and forefinger. It never bothered San that Yeosang couldn’t speak in mer form because body language existed and that’s what they often used when Yeosang didn’t feel like speaking or couldn’t find the right words to express himself. San barely remembered much of what he had learned from Yeosang but there were phrases few and far between that he remembered. Like this one, where Yeosang meant to express that he was okay. 

San gave him a small smile. He must have sensed the calmness of San’s composure and the steady beat of his heart because Yeosang relaxed further, letting out a loud sigh of ease. His tail moved back and forth in content from where it hung over the edge of the tub and San felt inclined to touch it. He wanted to touch all of it, to run his fingers across the expanse of Yeosang’s body, to know how different he was from being human.

Moving closer, San got onto his knees so he could see Yeosang eye to eye, hands coming to rest on the tub. The merman turned his head at the action only to find their faces mere inches apart. It was startling to see him up close, the bright white of his eyes and the inhuman touch in the gold of his irises. San swallowed when Yeosang inched his face closer but Yeosang’s eyes tracked the movement. His reflexes were fast. 

“Can--can I touch you?” The words were forced past his lips. “Not in a weird way or anything, just...I wanna know what it feels like.” The corner of Yeosang’s lip quirked up at the way San had started rambling. “Is that okay?”

His brows drew in and San could easily read the hesitation in his features. But then he nodded and San let go of the breath he had been holding. 

Yeosang’s eyes watched his hands trail without blinking. San was no biologist but he wondered if mermen needed to blink in the water or if it was just for protection like sharks had or whether it was simply a trick to appear more human. 

He ran his fingers over Yeosang’s forehead, down the bridge of his nose, swiped the bone of his cheeks, and let his thumb caress the skin of Yeosang’s neck. His scales were smooth one way and rough the other, just like a fish and were thicker and rougher below his chest as the colours mixed strongly. 

His collarbones were a lot more prominent than they were when he was human and he had no such thing as nipples which surprised San the most. Yeosang’s physique as a merman was much more muscular and well built, not that he was weaker looking as a human but somehow the curves of his arm muscles and the broadness of his chest seemed to be highlighted.

His tail was the strongest part of his body, the way it looked as if it could take out a couple of people in one swing. San felt the weight of the smooth fins in his hand and the twitch of the strong muscle when he stroked it. But it was a moment of impulse when he attempted to touch the stinger between Yeosang’s tail fins, curious of how sharp the edge might be when it flinched away and an angry hiss sounded in San’s ears.

He moved back in shock to see Yeosang bare his teeth at him, nostrils flared. “Sorry.” San immediately apologised with both hands up to show that he meant no harm. He didn’t think that was what Yeosang was worried about. 

He took San’s hand in his and turned it around a few times, eyebrows furrowed as he looked for something. It took San a while to realise what he was doing. 

“I’m okay.” He reassured Yeosang. “I didn’t touch it. See.” And he showed Yeosang both of his hands, void of any cuts or blood.

Yeosang only let go when he was fully convinced that San was okay. He gently pressed a pointer finger at San’s chest but the sharp nail still dug lightly, then pointed to his tail and shook his head.

“Don’t touch the tail. Got it.” San repeated in words. “Is it a weapon in the water?” Yeosang nodded. “Ah, that makes sense.”

Yeosang seemed to enjoy long baths since he showed no signs of wanting to get out. He had his head laid on the back of the tub, his hand holding San’s in the water and his tail moved in the limited space, sploshing water in the process. San had to resort to sitting on the floor when his knees protested from having kneeled for so long. He placed his free arm on the side of the tub and rested his chin on it. His thumb ran soothing circles over the back of Yeosang’s hand as he watched the merman. 

“I could watch you for the rest of my life,” San thought.

The fact that he gets to be a part of Yeosang’s life, to know him and to be loved by him felt like a completely outrageous idea someone had conjured up. But here Yeosang was, a being from a different world, magnificent and innocent in all of his ways. 

He had pulled San’s heart from the cave of his chest and taken care of it the moment he washed up on the shore that July night with a tail wound. He drugged San with the eagerness in his every action to learn everything human; when he sniffed around the pantry and went through San’s clothing with a look of wonder and that one time he threw up the apple San cut for him because it tasted like sand apparently, which they both agreed not to breathe a word of. 

A year ago San would’ve laughed in the face of anyone who’d told him that he’d fall in love with a merman. Yet here he was, ready to risk everything for Yeosang.

“You’re beautiful.” He can’t help but whisper the words in the quiet of the bathroom. Yeosang’s right ear twitched as he picked it up and then he was looking San’s way. He moved forward into San’s space and brought his hands out of the water to hold San’s face. His touch was warm and tender. San’s stomach fluttered but he couldn’t take his eyes off of Yeosang. 

What if Yeosang kissed him? Was it safe to kiss? What if Yeosang’s teeth cut him up or something? The thought of warning him crossed San’s mind but he didn't utter a word.

It’s when Yeosang pulled San’s face closer and rested their foreheads together that San’s shoulders loosened and a soft breath of air escaped his lips. He blinked twice trying to get rid of the film of tears that had begun to pool and responded, “I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!!!!
> 
> Please don't forget to leave a kudos and a comment if you read it, even an emoji is fine if you don't really have anything to say. It's your comments that give me the energy to keep writing ^_^ come say hi to me on twitter @skellimone
> 
> (also ao3's new system apparently doesn't record hits and kudos of those who don't have an acc :( so if you are a reader without an ao3 acc, please leave a comment if you enjoyed my story)


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